Turnour Prize
Encyclopedia
The Turnour Prize is the oldest of the panel prizes at Royal College Colombo
. It is one of the most prestigious prizes and honour awarded to a student of Royal College, the oldest public school in the country. Awarded annually to the best student in performance in academics. First awarded in 1846 to C. A. Lorensz
, it was instituted by Hon. George Turnour
of the Ceylon Civil Service
.
The award should not be confused with the Dornhorst Memorial Prize
awarded for General Merit and the Lalith Athulathmudali Memorial Prize
awarded to the most outstanding Royalist of the year.
Notable winners of the Turnour Prize include Deshamanya
C.A. Coorey
, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance & Treasury, Sir
Thomas De Sampayo
, former Judge of the Supreme Court of Ceylon
and Professor
Osmund Jayaratne
former President of the Colombo Campus, University of Sri Lanka
.
Royal College Colombo
The Royal College of Colombo was founded in January 1835 in Colombo. It is considered to be the leading Public School in Sri Lanka...
. It is one of the most prestigious prizes and honour awarded to a student of Royal College, the oldest public school in the country. Awarded annually to the best student in performance in academics. First awarded in 1846 to C. A. Lorensz
Charles Ambrose Lorensz
Charles Ambrose Lorensz, was a lawyer, journalist and a prominent colonial era legislator from Ceylon. He was a member of the Legislative Council. He is credited for initiating Sri Lankan journalism and was the founder and editor of the island's first local news paper the Ceylon Examiner...
, it was instituted by Hon. George Turnour
George Turnour
Honorable George Turnour, CCS was a British civil servant, scholar and a historian. He was member of the Ceylon Civil Service. He is known for his translation of the Mahavamsa, the Great Chronicle of Sri Lankan history which was published in 1837. Along with James Prinsep and Captain Edward Smith,...
of the Ceylon Civil Service
Ceylon Civil Service
The Ceylon Civil Service, popularly known by its acronym CCS, originated as the elite civil service of the Government of Ceylon under British colonial rule in 1833 and carried on after independence, until May 1, 1963 when it was abolished and the much larger Ceylon Administrative Service was...
.
The award should not be confused with the Dornhorst Memorial Prize
Dornhorst Memorial Prize
The Dornhorst Memorial Prize is a most prestigious prize and honour awarded to a student of Royal College Colombo, the oldest public school in the country. Awarded annually to the most popular student, judged by General Merit. The selection is made based on votes gained in a secret ballot conducted...
awarded for General Merit and the Lalith Athulathmudali Memorial Prize
Lalith Athulathmudali Memorial Prize
The Lalith Athulathmudali Memorial Prize is a prestigious prize and honour awarded to a student of Royal College Colombo, the oldest public school in Sri Lanka. Awarded annually to the Most Outstanding Royalist of the Year....
awarded to the most outstanding Royalist of the year.
Notable winners of the Turnour Prize include Deshamanya
Deshamanya
Deshamanya is the second highest Sri Lankan national honour awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka as a civil honour.It is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the awardee's name....
C.A. Coorey
C.A. Coorey
Deshamanya Chandana Aelian Coorey, SLAS was a Sri Lankan civil servant. He was the former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance & Treasury.-Early life and education:...
, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance & Treasury, Sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Thomas De Sampayo
Thomas De Sampayo
Justice Sir Thomas De Sampayo, KC was a Ceylonese judge and lawyer. He was a judge of the Supreme Court of Ceylon.Born to Maha Vidane Mudaliar Gabriel de Sampayo, he was educated at St. Benedict's Institution before gaining a Queen's scholarship to study at the prestigious Colombo Academy...
, former Judge of the Supreme Court of Ceylon
Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka is the highest court of the nation of Sri Lanka. The Supreme Court is the highest and final judicial instance of record and is empowered to exercise its powers, subject to the provisions of the Constitution. The Court has ultimate appellate jurisdiction in...
and Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Osmund Jayaratne
Osmund Jayaratne
Vidya Jyothi Osmund Jayaratne was Sri Lankan academic and politician. He was the President of the Colombo Campus, University of Sri Lanka , Emeritus Professor of Physics....
former President of the Colombo Campus, University of Sri Lanka
University of Sri Lanka
The University of Sri Lanka was the only university in Sri Lanka from 1972 until 1978. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced the University of Ceylon with the University of Sri Lanka. In 1978 it was separated...
.
Winners of the Turnour Prize
- Charles Ambrose LorenszCharles Ambrose LorenszCharles Ambrose Lorensz, was a lawyer, journalist and a prominent colonial era legislator from Ceylon. He was a member of the Legislative Council. He is credited for initiating Sri Lankan journalism and was the founder and editor of the island's first local news paper the Ceylon Examiner...
(1946) - DeshamanyaDeshamanyaDeshamanya is the second highest Sri Lankan national honour awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka as a civil honour.It is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the awardee's name....
C.A. CooreyC.A. CooreyDeshamanya Chandana Aelian Coorey, SLAS was a Sri Lankan civil servant. He was the former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance & Treasury.-Early life and education:... - SirSirSir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Thomas De SampayoThomas De SampayoJustice Sir Thomas De Sampayo, KC was a Ceylonese judge and lawyer. He was a judge of the Supreme Court of Ceylon.Born to Maha Vidane Mudaliar Gabriel de Sampayo, he was educated at St. Benedict's Institution before gaining a Queen's scholarship to study at the prestigious Colombo Academy... - SirSirSir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Muthu CoomaraswamyMuthu CoomaraswamySir Muthu Coomaraswamy, FRGS was a prominent colonial era legislator from Sri Lanka. He was the first native Asian and Sri Lankan to be knighted by Queen Victoria.... - ProfessorProfessorA professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Osmund JayaratneOsmund JayaratneVidya Jyothi Osmund Jayaratne was Sri Lankan academic and politician. He was the President of the Colombo Campus, University of Sri Lanka , Emeritus Professor of Physics.... - DrDoctor (title)Doctor, as a title, originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb docēre . It has been used as an honored academic title for over a millennium in Europe, where it dates back to the rise of the university. This use spread...
Ranji SalgadoRanji SalgadoMerennage Ranji Pemsiri Salgado was a Sri Lankan born economist and international civil servant. He was a former Assistant Director of the International Monetary Fund .-Education:... - ProfessorProfessorA professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
R.S. Thanabalasundaram